Gloria Estefan, Music Icon, Touts DeWitt Clinton HS Urban Farm

By JOSEPH KONIG

Latin pop icon Gloria Estefan came to DeWitt Clinton High School on Oct. 30 to talk about an urban farming program she hopes to export to her hometown of Miami. The Norwood campus has the largest student-run hydroponic farm in New York City, supported in part by Teens for Food Justice, a New York-based non-profit. Estefan is working with Teens for Food Justice to bring the program to public schools in Miami. “I can envision this growing. I can only imagine how great it would be if all our public schools had some kind of [urban farming program],” Estefan said.

SEE PICTURES: Thousands Attend Tour de Bronx

An estimated 6,000 bicyclists took to the streets on Sunday, October 28, during the 24th Annual Tour de Bronx, that kicked off at East 163rd Street and the Grand Concourse. The free event hosted by the Bronx Borough President’s office gave cyclists two courses: a 25-mile or 40-mile tour around the Bronx. Both tours ended at the New York Botanical Garden on Southern Boulevard, who held an ‘after ride’ festival with free pizza and live music. The tour allowed residents and out-of-towners to check out the borough’s many hilly and flat-land neighborhoods. As emphasized, the tour was considered just

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

Bedford Park Photos Wanted The Bedford Mosholu Community Association is accepting photos of the Bedford Park neighborhood to go with its application to the Historic Districts Council. The application seeks to begin an effort to preserve Bedford Park from further development. Photos can be sent to bedfordmosholu@verizon.net. Canned Food Drive The office of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, 3107 Kingsbridge Ave., is accepting canned goods for its annual food drive. Thanksgiving donations will be accepted before Nov. 14; donations for the Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa seasons will be accepted through Dec. 12. All proceeds will be delivered to Kingsbridge Heights Community Center

By By ELIOT SCHIAPARELLI of WFUV

Credible Messengers to Bring Cautionary Tales of Gang Life to Belmont The Norwood News, WFUV radio, and BronxNet Television have partnered to bring you a five-part series on gangs in the Bronx and their implications to their communities. This past summer, Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz was brutally murdered by gang members affiliated with the Trinitarios in a case of mistaken identity in Belmont, drawing massive media attention and spurring the hashtag #JusticeforJunior Freddy “June” Charles Jr., a so-called “credible messenger” at the Morrisania-based “Release the Grip” (RTG), said no one should die like that. When news of Junior’s murder broke, he

VOLUNTEERS WITH THE Citizenship Project help foreign-born Bronx residents properly fill out their federal applications for U.S. citizenship status. The group was at Tracey Towers on Oct. 13 at the event sponsored by Councilman Andrew Cohen (right).

In the Public Interest

By DAVID CRUZ

Blake Announces PA Run Assemblyman Michael Blake, who, along with representing the 79th Assembly District while pushing a national Democratic agenda as vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is throwing his hat into the race for New York City Public Advocate. The Public Advocate’s seat will officially be up for grabs come November since the current advocate, Letitia James, won the Democratic nomination for state attorney general. With an overwhelmingly Democratic state, James’s shot at winning the AG seat is all but secured. Should Blake win the advocate seat, it will open the door for his Assembly seat. The

LINDA MCCAULEY, DAUGHTER (at mic) of late Bedford Park resident Mary Vallati speaks during a surprise awards presentation to Patricia Burlace (r), Sister Annunciata Senior Center executive director, on Oct. 11. The Bedford Mosholu Community Association (BMCA), represented by Ella Santos (l), Margaret Collins (2nd from l), and president Barbara Stronczer (2nd from r) were there to honor Burlace for being completely dedicated to the senior center located in Bedford Park. Burlace accepted the award named after Vallati. Photo courtesy BMCA

Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers! The Norwood News is out with its latest edition covering Bronx communities. With 24 pages packed into this paper there’s plenty of news to share. So let’s get to page one. The front page focuses on The Bedford Manor, which opened in 2016 and is already showing signs of decay. A tour by the Norwood News given by one resident shows a breakdown of services. Reporter Joseph Konig got word from the landlord. Read what he has to say. Other stories include the city Environmental Protection playing defense over poor water pouring out of northwest Bronx homes. We

Flanked By Bronx Electeds, Schumer Rails Against CSX Land Deal Talks

By JOSEPH KONIG

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and a slew of Bronx lawmakers slammed rail transportation giant CSX for walking away from a deal to sell unused land in Kingsbridge to the city so it can be converted into a greenway and bike path. “We cannot allow this project to be delayed just because CSX wants to squeeze a few more pennies out of the community,” Schumer said at a news conference Oct. 17 held at the West 238th Street overpass near Broadway. “We are telling them, asking them to come back to the table or else.” What “or else” meant was unclear